Wiccans or witches have been greatly misunderstood and persecuted throughout history. The main reason is because so many people do not understand what it means to be Wiccan. The media and organized religions play a big part in the misunderstanding still going on today. Wicca is not just a religion; it is a way of life. Believers live their lives with the planet, not just on the planet. People of the craft respect Mother Earth and all of the species that includes. Most of the beliefs surrounding Wicca and witches are untrue.
Wiccans do not believe in or worship the devil. Historically, it has always been a misconception that witches worship the devil. Saying that Wiccans worship Satan is like saying that atheists worship God. Satan is a Christian invention. When the Church was being organized the leaders needed a way to control and convert the peasants. Many people believe that Satan is actually a perverted form of the Celtic god of the forest. In celebrations honoring Cernunnos men would wear branches on their heads and dance around a bonfire. Satan is symbolized with having horns and ruling in hell surrounded by fire.
Witches and Wiccans do not sacrifice any creature. Wiccans consider life sacred. It has always been Hollywood and those ignorant of Wiccan spirituality that perpetuate the misconception that Witches and/or Wiccans somehow sacrifice animals (in Hollywood, children, always seem to be in danger of sacrifice by Witches). The most important law Wiccans follow is to harm none. This law comes from the Wiccan Rede which is the code of ethics that witches live by. Another philosophy found in the Rede is “live and let live, fairly take and fairly give”. Many earth based religions have adopted the Wiccan Rede as the moral structure which their faith is built on.
The word Wicca comes from the ‘wicce’ which used to mean wise one. Witches have a long history of being healers and shamans for their communities. People have turned to witches for healing spells and potions throughout history. This practice was common until about the twelfth century when the Church outlawed witches. Most modern witches study herbal or crystal medicine and incorporate that knowledge into their lives.
Followers of Wicca do not perform black magic. Another line from the Wiccan Rede is “mind ye threefold law ye should, three times bad and three times good”. This line represents the Law of Three. Most Wiccans believe that whatever energy you put out into the universe will come back to you times three. Cursing someone is sending negative energy and only leads to the curse coming back to the sender. This belief is seen in a few other religions as well.
Most witches do wear a pentacle. The pentacle is not a symbol of evil nor does it belong to Satan worshippers. The five points of the pentacle represent the five elements. These elements are fire, water, earth, air and spirit. Pentacles can be sign in many other religions including Catholicism. In Christianity the five points represent the five wounds of Christ.
A male witch is not a warlock. A male witch is just that, a male witch. The original meaning of the word ‘warlock’ is an oath breaker or a liar. At some time in history people began to use it to describe a witch who is a man. To call a true witch a warlock is hugely insulting, be they man or woman.
There is really no reason to fear witches or Wicca. Wiccans are ordinary, everyday people. Like most other people, they hold jobs, pay their bills and raise children. Witches look just like your neighbors. Unlike popular Halloween images, they do not have green skin or hairy moles.
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